Zemellar Zoology
Coastal Areas Sea Tiger The Sea Tiger is a feline creature adapted to an amphibious lifestyle. It resembles a tiger in most respects, but with fur more similar to that of a seal. Its black-striped fur is usually blue or turquoise in colour, or more rarely, purple or green, and its paws are large and webbed - the Sea Tiger is a powerful swimmer. It also has fin-like protusions on its head and a finned tail as well. The Sea Tiger has gills, but it can close these and revert to breathing air. The Sea Tiger preys on both fish and shore-dwelling creatures equally, dragging aquatic prey onto land and terrestrial prey into the water to drown them. Lancefish A long, streamlined fish with a hard, conical head, the lancefish is found mostly in the southern seas of Zemellar and can grow up to thirteen feet long. They are very fast and powerful, and are also known for being quite delicious. Due to this, they are very popular among fishermen, who relish both the long fight of trying to land one of these powerful creatures and the several good meals they might gain from it. Among the four species of Lancefish, the most prized is the Scarlet lancefish, which is so named for the bright red colouration of its narrow dorsal fin. They are a delicacy among the Zethar living on the coast, and highly sought after. Makan A type of sea slug, they can grow to be the size of large rat. They live in the shallow tidepools of the beaches, calmly eating algae and clams. They are not particualrly notable for anything, but their slime is exceptionally sticky and used by the Zethar as a type of powerful glue. The slug uses this to pry open clams. It should be noted that a few sepcies are venomous, and should be avoided, though they are rarely lethal. Abandi Jungle Cats Cats are found in nearly all of the lands of Veria. They are a very popular household pet, due to their association with good luck and for providing protection from malevolent spirits. However, popular myth and legend states that they first were created on Zemellar, where they are not only popular as pets, but are reverred as the containers of powerful spirits. This is especially true among the Zethar, among whom killing a cat is the most heinous crime. Cats spread across Veria on ships, where they were kept in order to kill vermin. They spread to Malkut, and from there North and West. Cats can even by found among the northern cities of the Salt Folk, who use them as pest control. Calun Calun are a small primate found throughout the jungles of Zemellar. They are small creatures, but with enormous eyes. They have long fingers with sharp nails to help them hold onto trees and forage for insects. They also have large wings on their back, with patterns similar to those of moths, which they use to glide from tree to tree. They have a haunting, plaintive cry. Among the inhabitants of Zemellar their cry is considered a bad omen and a potential herald of death. Tigers Zemellar Tigers are a large, predatory feline found throughout the jungles. They have black stripes and fur that is normally orange, but in Zemellar can be found in yellow and red. Tigers are feared but respected. Tigers are fast, ferocious and very cunning in Zemellar. Among the Zethar, those who wish to join the Royal Guard must track and trap a tiger alone, to prove their cunning and determination. This is recalled by their tiger-shaped helms and orange cloaks. Most tigers are released but some are kept in the palace gardens. Though not the official method, many rulers of Goldwater have used tigers as a favoured method of execution of criminals. Tollagam A large herbivore, they are thick-bodied and placid animals resembling a bovine with a long tongue, no hair at all, and horse-like hooves. Thier horns, found on both males and females, have an odd feature in that they are phosphorescent, occasionally 'blinking' at night, which lets the herd know where each member is in the dark. During the mating season, their horns glow brightly rather than blinking periodically. Uital Uital are colloquially known as "Feathered Serpents". They are closer to a lizard, however, with a long sineous body like a snakes, four limbs and a reptillian body covered in colourful feathers. They have a pair of bird-like wings which they can use to glide from tree to tree, though their body isn't made for full flying. There are a few different sub-species of Uital, with differences in size and colouration. The smaller ones are popular pets, especially since they are known to make beautiful noises as mating calls, and can be trained even to "sing". Some are even able to copy sounds like a parrot. Red Crested Howler Red Crested Howlers are highly territorial primates living in the upper layer of the Abandi Jungle. They are higly agile; easily capable of leaping across clearings between trees. Howlers defend their territory no matter what the threat. Be it a Uital or band of Takiel hunters, they use the same defense; perching on a branch high above the intruder and howling in chorus Their howls are so loud, prolonged exposure to can cause explorers to go permanently deaf. This defensive tactic is quite effective, however in order to protect themselves from their own howls, Howlers have very poor or no hearing. Vontal Savannah Vontal Lions The Vontal Lion is a feline native to the Vontal Savannah on Zemellar. It is a massive creature, of about the same size as an elephant, usually with dark colours of hair. Due to their large size, Vontal Lions are essentially the apex predator of the Savannah area. While they are usually avoided, and only killed in defense, there is a business in taking Vontal cubs to raise. The Zethar are able to raise a Vontal Lion to be passive and loyal, but only from the youngest of ages. However, riding in a howdah on the back of such a beast is the ultimate sign of status. Only the stealthiest can achieve such a theft, direct force being useless, and many die in the attempt. Bakald Though seeing at first to be some kind of mammalian tortoise with long legs, they are actually a type of antelope. They do not have the typical speed of said relatives, but have instead gone for defense. The antlers of the Bakald grow backwards and down, the center flat and bowl-like, the tines around the rims eventually twisting together and joining the two halves into a whole. The overall effect is creating a kind of shallow 'shell' of keratin. When startled, the Bakald will simply drop down and cling to the ground with it's four cross-aligned toes, which have thick claws. Chuun The Chuun are absolutely enormous creatures, vaguely resembling a sloth with a head resembling most closely that of a giraffe. They walk around on their knuckles as do slothes, moving remarkably swiftly with a strange, swinging gait. They are herbivores, using their immense size to reach all foliage, no matter the height of the tree. Despite their placid nature, few creatures hunt them, since the sheer size of a Chuun's front claws is enough to crush or rend near anyone - Chuun also usually travel in small herds. The only creature mighty enough to bring down a Chuun is the Vontal Lion. Vetid Named for their tendancy to constantly jabber and whistle and otherwise make a commotion when in a group, these small insectovores feed on beetle larvae, beetles, spiders, scorpions, and other arthropods. They look somewhat like a large blob of fur with stubby legs and large, staring eyes over a short, almost pugged snout. They typically root about the bases of trees and in insect mounds. Though small and apparently vlunerable, the Jabberdort is extrodinary in how resistant it is to damage. It is mostly fat, skin, and fur, so they can constatnly twist around in thier own skin and avoid being badly hurt. Jun bird A tall, stern-looking bird with sand-coloured feathers, they have a long, incredibly pointed beak and long, incredibly pointy talons. They stride regally through the savanas during the day, hunting for snakes, reptiles, and small mammals. Though skinny, they are taller by a head than most Zethar, and their long neck is capable of punching their beak forward with enough force to penetrate through trees. Indeed, they keep their bill unbelievably sharp, and as the sun rises each day they can be heard distinctly from a distance, the harsh 'shik, shik,shik' of their beak being whetted into a meticulous point on a stone they keep in their nests. Category:Zoology